A Moment of Romance
by Emiko Ishida
Summary: She checked in the left back pocket, nothing, just a little lint. She checked the left, nothing in there,no, wait. She pulled out a piece of paper that was folded, fingering the paper, turning it over. Her eyes widened at what it said: Will you marry me?
1. Denim

**This is an AU.**

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"Katara!" Sokka yelled to his sister, who was comfortably sitting on her lawn chair, drinking lemonade through a pink, neon straw.

"Hm?" she replied, her mouth still clamped down on the straw.

"Don't 'hm' me! Help!" he yelled back, walking up to her while carrying two heavy, big, boxes, staked on top of each other. Katara glanced at him and gave into his nagging, took a box from the stack, and placed it on one of the white tables.

"This yard sale was a stupid idea," Katara said and sat back down on the old lawn chair.

"God, Katara, why do you have to be so negative? You PMS-ing?" Sokka asked her, a little playfully. Katara shot him a glare, and looked over at the opposite side of the road, and when she wasn't looking, Sokka stuck out his tongue.

It was a hot day outside, the sun shinned down on the siblings, making them sweat, they weren't accustomed to it, nor did they like this type of weather. Katara hated the weather even more than her brother. She couldn't take her shirt off like her brother when it was over ninety degrees outside. Katara sighed and wiped the sweat off her forehead. Then, she grabbed the glass of cold lemonade, that seemed to be perspiring itself, and gulped the last of it down.

"Toph!" Sokka called in the direction of the messy garage. A girl emerged from it carrying a brown box that was almost half her size. However, she continued to carry it with ease despite its weight and her blindness.

"What?" she snapped at Sokka, letting the box go on the table, resulting in a loud thud.

"We got to pass out the flyers or no one will come," Sokka told her, holding up at least forty papers, all kept together by a single rubber band.

"That's what I said before," Katara mumbled. Toph and Sokka began to walk towards the street.

"Katara, make sure to unpack the stuff!" Sokka yelled to his sister as they ran off. Katara just stayed silent and got up to unpack. She was glad she got some privacy for once, she loved her brother but. . . you get the picture. She picked through the contents of te box.

Let's see. . . a frying pan, a black sweater, two tank tops, a white top, a velvet belt, and one pair of jeans.

She began to search through the pants, in case it had some forgotten money in it. Once she left her mother's necklace in the back pocket of her jeans, during the last time they had a yard sale. She sold them and only realized the fact later, a good hour later. The next day the son of the person who bought the pants, returned the necklace. The boy's name was Zuko, and he later became her boyfriend.

_It's been a year since you died, Zuko, she thought._

She checked in the left back pocket, nothing, just a little lint. She checked the left, nothing in there. . . no, wait. She pulled out a piece of paper that was folded. She fingered the paper, turning it over and examining it. She then unfolded it. Her eyes widened.

It read_:_

**Katara, will you marry me?**

**Love,**

**Zuko**


	2. An Electrifying Feeling

(Zuko's POV)

_We were going to do it, as of today the world will be free of this world of war. I made the right decision, I won't regret anything I'm going to do today. _

Those were the thoughts running through my head a day ago, which is also when a life altering experience happened. It happened so fast- Azula and I were in a Agni Kai and then. . .she. . .

"What are you doing?" I demanded, starring at Azula, who was starring at Katara. At that time, I should have known the next part of the story.

Azula, being the immoral bitch she was, got into a stance and shot lightning at Katara, who was just a bystander. I yelled like the time I did when she shot Uncle. I won't forgive her for that act of hers, nor will I will forgive her for this one. There is nothing she can do to change my hatred for her. She knew I would jump in front of Katara, or maybe she didn't. I don't know, after all, I heard she went a little nuts lately. But she knew one thing, by shooting Katara, she would harm me. If I did jump in front of her, or if I didn't, she would damage my heart.

I couldn't let Katara die, so I ran as fast as I could, at a speed I didn't know I could run, but I got there in time. I couldn't redirect the lightning, however, but that did not matter she was safe. My uncle always says it's okay for someone to die for someone they love. I never understood the logic in that, after all. The woman would just feel lonely, but in this case, Katara didn't know I liked her, let alone love her from the bottom of my heart, so I guess it was okay.

So, I jumped in front of the one I loved. The lightning hit me, the feeling was electrifying.


	3. Smug

"Prince Zuko." The old man's voice began, echoing through out the very large room. He sat on his throne, staring at his grandson. The room was big, however, it only contained the throne, a few antiques of the family's ancestors, and the door, the sun giving a little light through the rooms window. To his grandson, it was a waste of space.

"Yes, Honorable Grandfather?" The boy answered, trying his best to sugarcoat the words 'Honorable Grandfather'. He was on the ground, nose almost touching the ground, as he performed this act of respect. He respected his grandfather, but for crying out loud, he was his grandson, not a servant, couldn't he not stare at the ground while trying to hold a conversation with the man?

His name was Zuko, he was the grandson of Azulon, the son of a great assassin named Sozin, who created the legacy of the Ikumi family.

"As you know you are leaving today for The Nii Shrine." Azulon said to Zuko.

"Yes, Honorable Grandfather." Zuko answered quickly, for he was taught to reply to people without hesitation but...

"That was a statement, Zuko," Azulon said sternly, "I. . . just wanted to say good luck. You are dismissed." he said.

As Zuko got up, he didn't look at Sozin, keeping his head down the whole time, despite his wanting to look at Azulon's expression. He couldn't believe at the words that just came out of Azulon's mouth, in fact, the good luck part seemed force. . . yet truthful.

The two servants, that were positioned at each part of the double door, opened it for the prince, who headed to his room.

**LUCK IS SOMETHING THAT IS LENT, NOT GIVEN.**

"Why did Grandfather and Father choose you? I'm in the age group. So, why you?" His sister, Azula, said. She sat on his bead with her legs crossed over each other, her usually smirk spread across her face, and eyes sparkling.

"Quiet, Azula." Came her brother's annoyed reply as he packed some clothes and a kunai into a bag. Azula glanced at the kunai.

"What is with the kunai? It's a _bending_ competition." Azula pressed, leaning closer to him.

"Quiet, Azula." He had fought with her so many he had run out of remarks, and they were only fighting verbally for eleven years.

"I bet you'll loose." She taunted as he walked out of his room, bag in hand.

**LUCK IS SOMETHING THAT IS LENT, NOT GIVEN.**

Azula is just jealous, Zuko thought. But that was a lie, she was the better fighter, but he always lied to himself, some part of him knew it, just not his brain. He starred out the window as he was driven by carriage to the Nii Shrine. The Nii Shrine was where the tournament was being held this time. Every year it is at a different place.

The Four Nations tournament has always been around, sending the best benders from their nation, royalty or not.

The carriage came to a stop, jolting the prince out of his trance. "Why did we stop?" Zuko asked the driver, suspicion dripping from his voice.

There was a silence between the two men, and then, a kunai interrupted the temporary peace. Zuko ducked out of the way, resulting in the kunai stabbing the back of the carriage. He kicked the door open, grabbed his bag, and broke into a sprint as he traveled into the forest. He turned around occasionally looked around at his surroundings, checking to see if anyone was following him.

After a couple more minutes of running, at the point of exhaustion, a girl, literally ran into him. They fell, the teenage girl on top of Zuko, only to grab her head and stand up.

"What the hell?!" Zuko shouted at her, still on the dirt floor.

"What?" She replied, her voice dripping with venom. Once she was done examining herself, she turned her attention back to Zuko. She put her hand on her hips.

He was confused. "What do you mean 'what'?" He demanded, she had bumped into him, she should apologize. He looked her in the eyes, only to have her stare out at the setting sun.

"Hey. . ." He said, trying to get her attention.

"The sun is setting. . ." She replied, clearly in a daze.

"What. . .? Oh, shit!" Zuko jumped up from his original sitting position. He had to get to the shrine before sunset or he would get disqualified! "I gotta go!" He said to the girl, taking a few steps in the opposite direction of where she stood, he didn't know where he was going, but he didn't want to stay with her.

"Wait!" She called, he didn't hear any movement, so he looked back at her. Her fist were clenched.

"I don't have time for this!" He yelled.

"I don't either!" She yelled back.

"I have to be at the Four Nations Tournament!" He exploded.

"What?" She said, her voice almost as whisper.

"You heard me. My name is Zuko-"

"I'm Katara." She cut him off.

He knew that girl. It was the Water Tribe's first female representative in the tournament, this tournament.

**LUCK IS SOMETHING THAT IS LENT, NOT GIVEN.**

Katara and Zuko's feet hurt, badly. After thirty minutes of running, in a desperate attempt to get to the Nii Shrine in time. They were greeted by a man named Long Feng, a girl named Toph, and a boy named Aang. Log Feng was a middle aged man, a black braid was his hairstyle, a wrinkle face, and dark robes. Toph was a young girl, however by one glance, one would know she wasn't the stereotypical, _young lady. _She was the Earth Kingdom's representative. Aang was the same age as Toph, he had a bald head, like most airbenders, complete with blueish tattoos!

"What took you so long?" Toph asked, with a smirk. Her arms were crossed against her flat chest and she leaned against a pole.

"Miss Katara and Prince Zuko." Long Fend walked up to them with a smile on his face, "I am so glad you came." He told them.

"This tournament will be fun, well, in a sense." Long Feng explained while waking into the estate, being followed closely behind by Aang, Zuko, Katara, and Toph. "Fights will be in the morning, at the crack of dawn. And finally, the finals will be at sunset. I wish you the best of luck, you may take this time to train and get some rest and report to the beach tomorrow at dawn."

**LUCK IS SOMETHING THAT IS LENT, NOT GIVEN.**

"Why aren't you training?" Zuko asked Katara. She was sitting on the sand, starring at the water.

"I'm fine. After all, it's useless, I trained harder than I ever had before, a day won't help me a greater amount, besides I'll get sore and that'll effect my performance." She answered, digging her bare feet into the white sand.

"Why aren't you training?" She asked, starring out into the ocean.

"I am going to." He answered, and turned around to leave the beach.

"Wait!" Katara called, she stood up and pointed to the dark water. "Want to go for a swim?"

**LUCK IS SOMETHING THAT IS LENT, NOT GIVEN.**

"Katara?" Katara's brother, Sokka asked, his voice a whisper but you could hear the frantic tone. He came to her bedroom door, and knocked on it.

Two seconds passed. "Katara!" Sokka yelled, banging on the door, being the usual impatient him.

"What?" She demanded and opened the door, causing Sokka to fall. She giggled.

"Hey. You ready?" Sokka asked her, ignoring the grim pain that pulsed through his head.

"Yeah." She answered, walking back to her bead and continued unpacking her clothes.

"You'll totally win." He said, giving her a smile. Katara froze, eyes locked on the things in front of her.

"Sokka," she began, "I didn't come here to solely win, I mean, I have another mission." She said and stood up straight, her back to Sokka. However, because of the mirror she could see Sokka clearly. His face was a mix of emotions, some being shock and confusion.

"As you know, mom died her years ago-"

"Oh, for Yang's sake-" Sokka said, very annoyed at his sister.

"No! I'll win and avenge her."

"Why? She lost fair and square, beside you're not even fighting the guy she lost to!"

"I know that. . . I'm going outside." She snapped and left.

**LUCK IS SOMETHING THAT IS LENT, NOT GIVEN.**

"Okay, I hope you all slept well, didn't act smug-"

Zuko gave Katara a look. Katara found this amusing- he reminded her of her dad.

"Today we will match you up by gender. A way we rarely get to do." Tai explained.

"Some ground rules- no weapons, the only weapon permitted is- the human weapon, your bending and body. No competitors are to help other competitors out during fights. So, if no one has any questions- fight!"

Toph and Katara moved closer to each other. Toph made the first move, throwing five boulders from a pile at Katara. Katara used her water to repel it, she jumped out of the way, and then separated the water into bubbles and then froze them, to form daggers. They flew at Toph, who blocked them easily with more boulders.

Toph slammed one rock to the ground, creating multiple rocks flying in the air, hitting Katara, and creating a cloud of dust.

Katara thought fast and created a bubble of water around her. It worked well, one boulder penetrated her shield, hitting her in the chest.

_Round One- Winner: Toph!_

Zuko wasn't a runner. Aang was, it was that simple. Aang's attacks came quick, like airbending attacks always do. Zuko sent multiple fire blasts at Aang, who just dodged them or blew them away. He was about to shot more when Aang sent a wave of wind at him, knocking him into the wall, and knocking him unconscious.

_Round One- Winner: Aang!_

**LUCK IS SOMETHING THAT IS LENT, NOT GIVEN.**

"Hey." Katara said, sitting down next to Zuko. They were once again at the beach, this time the sun was setting.

"Are you leaving tonight?" She asked the firebender, crouching down, as he starred at the setting sun.

"You got your ass kicked." Zuko said with a smirk on his face.

"You did too." Katara snapped.

"Yeah, but, maybe you would have won if you had trained and not acted so smug!" Zuko said.

Katara threw sand at him.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo**

**Sorry I'm late on this. I couldn't go on the computer, so I had to sneak on. I don't like this piece, it felt sloppy, but I can only do so much, so I definently like Denim the best out of all of them. **

**Review and you'll get a hug!**

**-Emiko Ishida **


	4. Manipulative

"I'm bored," Toph declared as she sat on her belly, on the stone floor of the Western Air Temple. The Gaang were laying around, waiting for Katara to finish cooking breakfast.

"Well, what do you wanna do?" Zuko replied, sitting up, he was recently looking at the cloud drifting by.

"I don't know, what do you wanna do?" Toph answered. Sokka was cleaning his boomerang, and Aang was spinning a wooden top around. They were all bored, except Katara who was engaged in her cooking. . . not saying she wanted to do it.

"Want to play Truth or Dare?" Aang suggested, his face lighting up.

"What's that?" Katara asked, placing a plate of some cooked fish on a plate to Aang, who joined Toph and Zuko.

"A game, one persons asks someone Truth or Dare, and depending on their answer, you give them a task or question for them to do," Aang explained to his friends.

"Okay, anything is better than this," Toph said.

By that time Katara had joined them, they had already started playing.

"Okay, Toph, truth or dare?" Aang asked, and took a bite of the speacially prepared, salad type dish.

"Dare!" Toph replied, with a slight smirk on her face as she eagerly awaited her task.

"Okay... um...I dare you to yell, 'I'm a boy', at the top of your lungs!"

"Oh, you people won't let that go," Toph said, referring to the time they went to see a play that featured the whole gang, and her actress, or actor, was a boy.

"Not the best dare, Twinkle Toes," Toph said and stood up.

"I'm a hairy boy!" She yelled and sat back down, "my turn, Katara, I dare you to yell 'Zuko is too sexy for his shirt'!" Toph dared.

Sokka chocked on his food, Zuko and Katara blushed, and Aang's eyes widened.

"You can't tell someone if they are doing truth or dare!" Aang said.

"Oh, be quiet, Twinkle Toes, you're just jealous," Toph snapped and looked at Katara.

"If you choose Truth then you will have to tell me if you like Aang," Toph added.

Katara was silent, obviouslly thinking of her answer. Then, after a few agonizing minutes, she stood up, and yelled. "Zuko is too sexy for his shirt!"


	5. Mythology

Upstairs, in her cluttered bedroom, Toph sat on her bed with a text book in front of her. She scribbled the answer to a question down on the piece of lined paper, and turned to the next page of her textbook.

Why did she have to learn mythology? They're myths, no one knows if they are true!

She had to write a romantic story, in a 'fairy tale-ish' way. She hadn't thought of anything and her assignment was due in twelve hours! Once again, she had procrastinated it and was going to end up probably copying something. She twirled her pen around as she thought.

_Let's see... romance..._

She tried thinking of some good scenarios,how about if they hate each other...no, then she would have to explain the reason behind that. Then she could do the Romeo and Juliet thing- okay, let's do that! She pondered for a minute, trying to come up with some names. Takara? No, how about. . . Katara. . .? And Zuko! They would be the perfect example, she could base the story on them! No one in her grade would recognize them. . . except Aang. . . shit.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo**

**(The Next Morning, In Toph's Point of View)**

I wrote the story, but just needed a way to get Aang out of the room during my presentation. He had the world's biggest crush on Katara! I just needed to get him out, and all will be good. Even though I didn't like Aang that much, he was my friend, but kinda of annoying, but I didn't want to see him hurt. Kids were just sitting around, chewing gum and listening to their Mp3s. I could hear the faint music, they really should turn those down, they'll go deaf.

I sat in my usually seat, front of the class, first on the left, the teacher wanted me to be close, so I could hear him.

"Hey, Toph," I heard Aang say, and felt him sit in the seat next to me.

"Finish your paper?" He asked, messing with some papers that came from his backpack.

"Yeah," I replied. Silently praying he wouldn't want to see it.

"Can I see it?"

"Um. . . it's a surprise!" I responded. Hell yes, it will be a surprise.

"Fine," Aang said. Five minutes of silence swept over the class. At times like these I've always wanted to see. I could stare at people, see what my friend really look like.

"Good morning, class," Our teacher, Zhao said, as he came in.

Thirty minutes of boring lecture later, I turned my paper into Zhao and five days later it came back with this grade- F.

Why? I don't know! You may read it if you like:

_Once upon a time there was two peoples named Katara Izuru and Zuko Chang. They met each other many times, each making them hate each other, but when Zuko decided to help the Izuru family in the war, all was forgiven._

He only said one page, and I have bad hand writing, after all, I'm blind, try writing with your eyes closed sometime! He said something about cliches bad grammar, and overall interest.

Ha, he called Zuko and Katara boring!

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo**

**I wrote Toph's paper they she would write it- with some grammatical errors! As for the last names, she changed them. I don't know why I made Zhao teacher...**


	6. Stare

Zuko had always had people stare at him. When he was younger, whenever he would go out in public, or even when he walked around in the palace, people would always stare.

After the Agni Kai incident, the crew members would even stare, no matter how many times they told themselves not to, they did. Whenever they went into a Earth Kingdom colony, that was taken over by the Fire Nation, people would stare whispering horrible things about him, and he could hear it all.

He was good about not caring, but nothing mattered at that time except one thing- capturing the Avatar.

When he met the Avatar and his friends, he was even more happy to meet a blind girl named Toph. Because of her blindness, she couldn't she any physical features of his face, there she could only judge him by her personality. She wouldn't see that picture and immediately think, 'How did that happen?'

He couldn't be one of the people that was burned by a Fire Nation soldier, that wouldn't make sense, most people knew the true story anyways. That is why he doesn't like people staring at him. It just reminded him of his past.

When he was stuck in the cave with her, that 'her' being Katara, the 'waterbending wench', his first impression of her was she was the enemy. It was always that way, until then. He found out he had a lot in common with her, and she was understanding.

When they were in the cave he realized she was a friend, not an enemy.

Toph stared at him in a daze.

Aang stared at him in sympathy.

Sokka stared at him in anger.

Katara stared at him with love.


	7. Crossover

Where the hell was Zuko?

That was the question that had been on Katara's mind for the past week.

On November 21, 2008 the Twilight movie came out. Katara had never regretted my decision to live right next to a movie theater until then. Almost a hundred teenage girls were across the street yelling, 'when I say Edward you say Cullen! Edward-' the ringleader would yell, 'Cullen!' and the others would yell back. That all happened at midnight. You can imagine how much sleep she got. She wanted to throw eggs at them . . . or in this case apples butwas even scared to walk past that movie theater because of the fan's renowned insanity. To some of them, the book is the best thing ever written, but to some it's the worst ever written. She was in the hater's boat.

She was worried about her boyfriend. What could he be doing that kept him inside and away from her? Or at least his kung fu trainning? Did he find a porn channel, or something? If that was the case she'd kill him!

So one day she broke into his locker to investigate and she found a 500 page book in the back. It was hardcover and mostly black. It was titled _Breaking Dawn_.

Katara knew damn well what that book was about. She made a face of disgust and tucked the book into her backpack and speeded down the hallway.

"What the hell is this?"

"It's Azula's," Zuko said.

"Bullshit. We burned that Edward doll on the 4th of July together!"

"I don't like the books, Katara! Honestly! I just wanted to read them to see how. . ."

"How. . .?"

"How Edward functions."

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

**That wasn't really a crossover. . .but whatever! I hope you all enjoyed it! **

**Have a happy Zutara Week!**

**-Emiko Ishida :)**


	8. Blood

They say the birth of a child is a beautiful thing. But until the placenta was off Zuko's child he couldn't really agree with that statement.

"How is she?" Zuko asked Sokka, who was pacing the infirmary hallway.

"Fine, Zuko. The nurse says that your little one will be born in a matter of hours," Aang answered for Sokka, walking up to Zuko.

"Why won't they let me in?"

"Trust me, Zuko--you don't want to go in," Sokka said.

"Why not? It's nothing I haven't seen in bed," Zuko retotred, crossing his arms and starring intensely into the door.

"Hello, that woman is my sister! I didn't need to hear that," Sokka said, putting his hands over his ears.

Six hours and countless screams later, at approximately 1:09 in the morning, Zuko couldn't take it anymore. He got up and barged in. And, well, what he saw wasn't pretty at the least.

The blood flushed from his face and he hit the floor.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

**I know this is a bit late but my computer crashed yesterday. **


	9. Jealousy

**This is an AU.**

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"Everything ready?"

"Operation Laputa a go,"

"What's laputa mean, anyway?"

"If you payed any attention in Spanish class you would know," Katara said under her breath and scampered down the hall. It was lunch time but instead of sitting and eating they were on a break in mission. They were going to break into Zuko's locker.

Katara grabbed the knob and tried his birthdate.

_No luck with that one. His mom's birthday?_

"Hurry up!" Toph snapped from down the hall.

"Sorry," I said and rested my head against the cold, metal locker.

"Let me," Toph said and pushed me out of the way. She grabbed the handle and slammed her fist into the wall. There was click and then she opened the locker door.

"Thanks," I said and began to rummage through the locker. Text books and notebooks were everywhere. I pulled out his cell phone and slipped it into my pocket.

"What's that smell?" Toph asked. I sniffed and my nostrils immediately flared up. Toph really did have a great sense of smell.

"Rotten tuna sandwhich," I said and flung it into the trash can next to me.

"Yuck!"

"What are you girls doing?" Mr. Zhao boomed.

"Nothing!" I responded. Oh, crap! Now we were dead!

"My friend Katara just got her period and I was going to give her a tampon," Toph lied. I wanted to strangle her. I had my period two years ago--she was the one who hadn't had her period yet!

"Yeah," I said through my teeth.

"Alright, just get to class when the bell rings," he said and walked off.

"I'll give you some props for that," I mumbled and turned on his phone. I scrolled through the text message history and clicked on the one from an unknown number.

"Listen to this! 'Meet me at my house tomorrow night at seven. I live at 666 North Carter Street. See you there!'"

"What's the number?"

"666-789-4444," I replied, looking at the contact information.

"That's Mai Kwon!"

xoxoxoxox

"You look like crap,"

"Thanks. I couldn't sleep that well," I said and scooted over so Toph could have room to sit.

"I said no talking!" Sokka yelled from the front seat.

I was worried about Mai and Zuko. Was he cheating on me? At least he could have broken up with me first instead of. . . instead of. . . instead of this!

"Alright. We're here," Sokka said when the car came to a complete stop.

"Thanks, Sokka. No I won't tell Dad about you having sex with Suki on his desk," I said and shut the door.

"Let's go, Toph," I said and I sprinted off and into Mai's backyard. I scwated down and peared into one of the basement's window. I could see Mai standing up, her backside to my view. She was only wearing a strapless, black dress. A boy with dark hair was sitting on the coach and Mai moved in to kiss him.

"Off my man!" I yelled. It was out of nowhere.

"You tell her, Katara!" Toph said and punched my shoulder.

Mai turned around and looked at us. The guy below her was not Zuko. It was Jet.

"Run!" I said and grabbed Toph's hand.

We ran across the street and into the bushes in the nearest For Sale house. I collapsed and took Zuko's phone out of my purse. I shuffled through the contacts and didn't recognize a single one.

"I don't think this is Zuko's phone," I said to Toph.

_Sorry, Jet!_

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

**La- the Spanish word 'the'**

**Puta-the Spanish word for 'whore'.**

**XD**


	10. Cactus Juice

Cactus Juice

Only 50 Cents!

It was a seltering summer day and 10-year-old Toph and 12-year-old Katara sat at a plastic table by Toph's house's sidewalk. Taped to the table was a neon green poster that read 'Cactus Juice--only fifty cents!' written in black marker.

People passed by, starring and asking what was catus juice. And Toph would just answer the adult by saying it was a secret. The adult would just smile and walk away away or wish them luck. Some would even buy a cup and throw it in the nearest garbage can when they thought Toph and Katara couldn't see them.

It was understandable if the two girls were selling lemonade but no, they were selling cactus juice. Maybe they pittied them or simply thought they were cute but they still never made more than two dollars a day.

One day--their neighbor came over.

"What's this?" 14-year-old Zuko asked.

"Cactus juice," Toph replied, like she always did.

"What's that?" Azula piped up. The little 11-year-old was the devil in Toph and Katara's eyes. . . probably Zuko's, too.

"Dog brains!" Toph joked. Azula made a face of disgust and placed a hand in front of Toph's face. Toph immediately grabbed her wrist and twisted it back.

"Ow!" she cried and Katara pulled Toph off her while Zuko grabbed his sister. Katara didn't like Azula and wouldn't have done that if Azula's father wasn't a lawyer.

"Here," Zuko pulled a dollar out of his pocket and Katara handed him two glasses of juice.

The brother and sister walked off.

"What's in that, anyway?"

"Apple juice with my spit,"

"What?!"

"Yeah."

"Damn you! Why couldn't you let me spit in Zuko's cup?"

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

**I just realized how dirty that last comment sounds! LOL**

**Please review!**

**-Emiko Ishida**


	11. Hotaru

**Hi, guys! Sorry for the delay. This is a continuation of Blood. I really like this one. It's my favorite of 2009! **

**I think I cheated with this one, too. Even though Hotaru's name means 'firefly'. **

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo**

Today was the saddest day of the year. My birthday.

On Feburary 2nd, sixteen years ago, my mother died after giving birth to me. Ever since that day my father, Fire Lord Zuko, has not looked at me. Not hugged me, not even said I love you to my face. He would only talk to me about my studies or fire bending lessons (which I weren't very good at).

I put my robe on to go out for some air. It was chilly out even for the Fire Nation. I tip toed down the hall and out onto the garden. And by a patch of tiger lilies was my father.

I gasped.

He didn't move or flinch, not even blink. We stayed like that for almost a minute. I frowned. "Why do you ignore me?" I asked, not looking at him. Something just boiled over. I always wanted to ask that question but I never got the courage.

"Because you look like her," Father said, still gazing out at the garden. The answer came out of his mouth like he wanted to say it.

"Her? Who is 'her'?" I demanded. I searched through my mind, trying to find out what he was talking about.

"Her name was Katara," he replied.

That's my mother's name.

The reason why my father never looked or touched me more than once in my life was because I looked like a person he was to corwrdly to remember.

"Sorry."

"What?" he asked.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry for unintentionally killing your wife. I mean, does it occur to you that I miss her too? I grew up with no mom!" I replied, my voice rising. He didn't say anything so I swallowed my tears and continued. "I was just being born! I couldn't help it, Father! If I had my choice she would be alive. I miss her just as much as you do!"

I sniffed, now trying not to cry. "If I were you I would be happy you have one last connection to her,"

"What's that?" he asked, I could see tears in his eyes.

"Me. . ." I said and stormed out of the room.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo**

I woke up the next morning. I got almost no sleep. I knew he didn't care, he never did and never will. I opened my eyes and sat up looking at cloudless sky. I smiled.

I looked over at a red dress. I fingered the fabric and then picked up the book that lay on top. The book had a note saying:

_Dear Hotaru,_

_I'm sorry that I treated you the way I did. I swear, it won't happen again. _

_I promise. _

_Love,_

_Your Father_


	12. Lick

Working in a pet shop isn't the most glamorous job but I love animals. (And it was either this or working in a Walmart.)

"Katara, can you walk Pookie?" Mrs. Lee asked me. Mrs. Lee was a short and fat lady in her late fifties but with all the Botox you would think she's younger.

I stopped writing 'I heart Zuko' all over my notebook in red Sharpie. What? It's what teenagers do when they are in love with someone who barely knows they exist. But I knew one day we would fall in young love and get married and have five kids. At least, that what happens in my dreams.

I grabbed a leash from the closet and put my jacket, bearee, and my old leather gloves.

"Come on, Pookie," I said and clipped the poodle's collar onto the rhinstone studded leash. It made the poor BOY look gay.

I opened the door and he immediately pulled me along. It was a cold December day in upper New York City and it was just beginning to snow. I looked up at the gray sky.

"Bark!" Pokie went and bolted off, and his leash fell out of my hand.

"Pookie!" I yelled and ran after him. He jumped into this guy's arms and gave him a slobbery lick. The guy dropped his cell phone and coffee.

And that guy was Zuko.

Kill me.

"Pookie!" I said again. "I'm sorry," I said to him and picked up his cell phone.

"No, it's okay. Katara, right?"

Oh. My. God! Did he just say that?

"Y-Yeah," I responded, sounding like an idiot. "I'm sorry! I'd give some cash to get another coffee but I don't have my wallet with me. I work at the pet shop down the street," I rambled on.

He took out a pen from his pocket and grabbed my hand. His arms were cold but I felt warm by his touch.

"Here," he said and wrote nine numbers down on my arm.

Zuko's cell (696) 444 5551


End file.
